Boat.



PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

J. W. BEALL.

BOAT.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 18. 1903.

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Witt moses No. 793,633. PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

J. W. BEALL.

BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18.1903.

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wihwowa Patented July 4, 1905.

l ATENT JOHN W. BEALL, OF LATON, CALIFORNIA.

BOAT.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,633, dated July 4:, 1905. Application filed February is, 1903. Serial No. 143,886.

]'0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. BEALL, a citi. Zen of the United States, residing at Laton, in the county of Fresno and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steering mechanism for boats; and the principal object is the provision of fore and aft rudders which are coupled or geared together in such manner that they may be simultaneously turned either, in the same or opposite directions at the will of the operator, thus rendering the boat very sensitive in turning and also enabling the operator to steer or direct the boat to one side or the other, as desired.

With this and other objects in view the invention consists of the features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which i Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a boat embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; and Fig. 3 is a central vertical section, on an enlarged scale, through the tubular stem of the steering-handle and the actuating-gears and clutch mechanism for controlling the action of the same.

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The numeral 1 denotes a boat of any preferred type, shown in the present instance in The floats are connected and braced rela tively to each other by means of a deck 5, which extends over both floats. The propeller comprises a spiral blade 6, arranged beneath the deck 5 and between the floats 2, said propeller occupying nearly the entire space between the floats and being mounted at its opposite ends in suitable bearings 7 attached to the deck or other convenient part of the boat. Beyond the rear bearing 7 an ordinary screw-propeller 9 is mounted fast upon the shaft of the spiral propeller 6, the screw propeller 9 being somewhat larger in diameter than the spiral propeller by reason of its location beyond the widest portion of the floats 2.

The driving mechanism for the spiral and screw propellers embodies a beveled pinion 10, mounted on the forward end of the shaft 11 of the two propellers 6 and 9, which pinion meshes with and is driven by a beveled gearwheel 12 on the lower end of an upright shaft 13, the upper end of which extends above the deck 5, where it is provided with another beveled wheel 14, which meshes with a beveled'gear15 on the end of the short horizontal shaft 16. Mounted on the shaft 16 is a sprocket-wheel 17, around which runs a chain belt 18, extending rearward and adapted to be driven by sprocket-wheels 19 on one or more crank-axles 20, journaled in suitable bearings above the deck 5. The crank-axles 20 are provided with suitable cranks 21 and pedals 22, adapting the machine to be driven in a manner similar to an ordinary bicycle.

Adjacent to each crank-axle 20 is arranged a seat-standard 23, carrying a saddle 24 for one of the riders or operators, while in front of each seat-post 23 is arranged a handle-bar 25, the stem 26 of the forward handle 25 being geared to the steering mechanism, as hereinafter described. By this construction of driving mechanism the boat is adapted to be driven by one or more riders or operators whose'combined power is transmitted to the chain belt'18 and finally to the shaft 11, carrying the spiral and screw propellers 6 and 9, respectively.

I have described the boat and its driving mechanism in order that the boat structure and one type of means for driving the same may be clearly understood, although I do not limit the invention thereto, as the present invention relates distinctly to the steering mechanism. The steering mechanism comprises a pair of rudders 27 and 28, respectively, arranged fore and aft. Each rudder is provided with a rudder-post 29 and a rudder-head or cross-bar 30, the rudder-head being arranged above the deck 5.

Connected with the stem 26 of the forward handle-bar 25 are two sprocket-Wheels 31 and '32, arranged. one above the other, a chain or belt 33 passing around the upper sprocketwheel 31 and being terminally connected at both ends to the forward rudder-head, while a similar chain or belt 34 passes around the lower sprocket-wheel 32 and is terminally connected at both ends to the rear rudder-head 30. The stem 26 is hollow or tubular and suitably journaled at its lower end in a bearing on the deck 5, and in the hub of the wheel 31 is formed aradial slot or recess 33, adapted to receive a plunger or clutch-pin 34, working in an opening 35 inside of the stem to lock the said wheel 31 to said stem. Both wheels 31 and 32 are loose upon the stem and are designed to be locked thereto by clutch devices, the wheel 32 being provided with a radial recess 36 to receive a plunger or clutchpin 37, working. in an opening 38 in the side of the stem 26. The two plungers or clutchpins 34 and 37 are adapted to be respectively projected and retracted by'bell-crank levers 39 and 40, arranged within the stem 26 and to which are connected operating-rods 41 and 42, extending upwardly through the stem to a suitable point above the same, said rods being connected at their upper ends to suitable operating-handles 43 and 44, arranged in convenient position to be manipulated by the operator occupying the seat 24 on the forward standard 23.

Normally both gear-wheels 31 and 32 are rigidly connected to turn with the stem 26 by the clutch plungers or pins 34 and 37 so that by turning said stem to the right or left motion will be communicated in reverse direction to the chains 33 and 34 to turn the fore and aft rudders in opposite directions, thus enabling the boat to be turned within a short radius. In order to enable the two rudders to be turned in the same direction, so as to further facilitate the turning of the boat, I provide means whereby the direction of operation of either one of the sprocket-wheels 31 and 32 may be reversed, so that one propeller will exert the necessary resistance, while the other controls the movement of the boat in one direction or the other. This reversing mechanism comprises double gears 45 and 46, projecting, respectively, from the lower and upper sides of the gears 31 and 32, which gears areadapted to mesh with an intermediate reversing-gear 47, carried by a shaft 48, journaled at one end in a bearing-block 49, slidable in an opening 49 in the stem 26, and at its opposite end in a bearing 50, suitably supported from the deck 5. The shaft 48 both slides and rotates in-the bearing 50, and surrounding the same, between said bearing 50 and the gear 47, is a coiled spring 51, which forces the shaft inwardly and is adapted to push the gear 47 into mesh with the gears 45 and 46. The block 49 is suitably connected to a bellcrank lever 52, to which is attached an operating-rod 53, extending upward through the stem and connected at its upper end to an operating-handle 54, disposed alongside the handles 43 and 44, so that by moving the handle 54 up or down the block 49 may be projected or retracted to adjust the gear 47 into and out of mesh with the Wheels 45 and 46, as will be readily understood.

Assuming that the gear is out of mesh with the gears 45 and 46 and that said gears 45 and 46 are locked immediately to the stem 26, it will be readily understood that when said stem is turned in one direction or the other the chains 33 and 34 will be reversely operated to simultaneously swing the rudders 27 and 28 in opposite directions, thus enabling the boat to be turned within a short radius in either direction. When it is desired to sheer the boat rapidly from left to right or to turn it around within the shortest possible space, this is accomplished by forcing down the handle 54 to draw the block 49 inward, thus bringing the gear 47 into mesh with the gears 45 and 46 and simultaneously operating the handle 43 or 44 to retract the clutch-pin 34 or 37 to release the gear 45 or 46, according to the direction in which the boat is to be turned, this operation reversing the normal direction of rotation of the released gear so as to turn both rudders in the same direction, so that one will oppose the necessary resistance to deflection of the boat while the other controls its course of movement. For instance, assuming that the parts are disposed as shown in. Fig. 3, in which the reversing-gearing is arranged for operation with the sprocket-wheel 31 unclutched from the stem 26, it will be readily understood that the normal direction of movement of said gear 31 will be reversed, causing said wheel to turn opposite to the wheel 32, whereby both rudders will be caused to swing in the-same direction for the purpose previously described. By mounting both sprocket-gears 31 and 32 so that either may be clutched or unclutched at will the operation above described may be accomplished in an effective manner for turning the boat in the least possible space while going ahead or backing.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings the construction and mode of operation will be understood without a further extended description of the invention.

Changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction, may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A boat having fore and aft rudders and steering mechanism connected to said rudders and including a rotatable stem device,

sprocket-Wheels on the said stem device, and chain belts connected to the rudders, one of the sprocket-wheels being arranged to be thrown out of connection with respect to the stem whereby the rudder may be simultaneously or independently operated.

2. A boat having fore and aft rudders, a steering post or stem, wheels on the stem, one of the wheels being operative to be thrown into and out of connection with relation to the stem, and flexible devices between the said wheels and rudders.

3. A boat having fore and aft rudders, a steering post or stem, wheels on the said stem arranged one above the other, the stem and one of the wheels having separable connecting means for throwing one of the wheels out of operative engagement with relation to the post or stem, a rod connected to the wheel which is adapted to be thrown out of engagement with respect to the stem, said rod extending adjacent to the upper terminal of the said stem, and flexible connections between each wheel and one of the rudders whereby the latter may be simultaneously or independently operated in either direction.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- JOHN W. BEALL. Witnesses:

H. H. WELSH, LAURA MAIN. 

